New Year, REAL You

"New Year, New You" is a load of bullsh*t in my opinion. Why? Because at your core, the essence of your soul, you are PERFECT. There is absolutely NO need to reinvent yourself because each soul is born KNOWING pure love and connectivity with ourselves, each other, this planet, and all that is. And that innate KNOWING is enough! Not only is it enough, it is pure magic. So, let's put down the self-help books this year and simply get REAL.

I often think of how easy my life would be if I lived in a big city saturated with wellness. Wellness IS life in the worlds I was living in before I moved back home.  And now? Now, I'm in Columbus, GA- a place that is just starting to tip toe into the world of wellness. A place that thinks eating a kale salad is a new revelation... And so many of the things in my wellness/spirituality toolbox are taboo... I think of picking up and moving at least once a month. Why? Because it would be SO much easier to live my truth in a place where other people were living similar lives. My husband and I remind ourselves over and over again, though, that's the easy thing to do. We aren't here to simply cruise through an easy life. Without challenges and darkness, we will not have the immense gratitude we have for the light we've been gifted. But alas, I am CALLED to be here. To bring change? No, I don't think so. But, instead to bring an awakening to my own life and hopefully inspire others to do the same: WAKE UP. I honestly don't think I would be nearly as devoted and awake to my spiritual journey if I was living anywhere else.

Columbus IS a magical, sacred place if we take the time to awaken our senses, stop complaining, and start welcoming the transformation that IS happening. This means we have to stay open and receptive to new information, ideas, and humans. We must trust and learn from the mighty Chattahoochee that runs through our town to WAKE UP to fluidity!!! To stay in our old ways, incurious about things we've been taught, and closed off to new ways of thinking and BEing means we are literally sleepwalking through this life. I don't know about you, but I am completely uninterested in feeling OK and sleepwalking! Mama wants to feel ALIVE and experience the constant magic we are gifted when we give ourselves permission to feel it.

But why, then, do I feel this antsy desire to leave? Because it is a TRUE challenge to be 100% myself in a place that I have always felt in limbo of being "in" but a little bit off... Do ya feel me??? In all of my circles here, I often feel the need to wear different masks because to reveal my full truth all the time requires constant explanation. I get incredibly exhausted always having to explain myself and my ways. And as soon as I feel that I'm being too weird for one group, I go into my crab shell (I am a Cancer sun sign) and try to transform into said group and then I walk away from that group feeling depleted and mad at myself for conforming and speaking in a way that does not align with MY core value system.

I feel as thought this is something a lot may experience in this town, or ANYWHERE in the world: that constant need to put on a mask and morph into someone else... 2017 brought a huge year of extreme revelations for me in so many aspects of my life. The biggest? Shed the masks, remove the veils, and bask in your authenticity. One of my students recently came up to me and said she hoped that I would feel the same way about myself as my students feel about me. And you know, it's funny how God works. I literally had just prayed and meditated on my intention for the New Year, which was "I take action to FEEL enlightened acceptance." And here she was speaking right into my soul. I think we all have this feeling, though, where we aren't quite good enough; so we need to change. That is why New Years Resolutions are so popular, yet unnecessary. A resolution is to resolve that you are not enough and need to change.

Y'all, there is NO NEED TO CHANGE!!! If you don't hear anything else, please remember that YOU are enough, just as you are. We can work, though, to begin to remove the layers that WE have piled onto ourselves to be a certain way. Instead, what if we surrendered into our TRUTH? Our raw, pure, authentic truth! I don't know about you all, but I am exhausted. It is so tiring melting and molding ourselves into different groups depending on who we're around. May we set the intention to set ourselves FREE and bathe in the sweet goodness of the souls we've been GIFTED. Do you get that? You have been gifted this gorgeous soul, designed with the purest form of love and yet we have the audacity to want or try to change that? It's really pretty rude and a slap in the face to God/The Universe/Source (insert word or energy you vibe with here) to even begin to think you are not enough and need to morph in order to feel what every human on this planet wants to feel: Love and Acceptance.

2018, according to numerology, is the year to TAKE ACTION. Begin to notice the thought patterns, old beliefs, relationships, and situations that are no longer serving how you want to FEEL. As all of those layers pile up, we harden- literally. We harden into thinking we should be or feel a certain way, we should wear a certain thing, we should go to a certain place. Y'all- you don't have to. You can truly do, feel, and be whatever you want. THIS is your LIFE and today is the only day we know for sure we'll have; so why waste time feeling OK or being someone you're not? I personally am done! It's too much work... and on top of it all, I'm a mama and business owner. Ain't got time for that sh*t. It is actually SO much easier to embrace and love yourSelf. The Self with a capital S. The Self that always was, always is, and always will be. Life around us will change- the world, our relationships, our looks, our beliefs, all constantly evolving- but your soul remains constant, in beautiful loving grace. Thy soul is FREE!

My truth? I am a Moon child, effected by and in love with the moon. I LOVE to entertain, even when my yoga peeps come over for a moon ceremony, I'm using my fine crystal wine glasses (but also talking about and sharing my collection of crystals from the earth). I am a mother who is so in love, completely a mess, and sometimes feel like I simply cannot kiss those warm cheeks of my kiddos enough. I have an addictive personality- I used to smoke cigarettes ages ago (sorry mom!) and still crave one every now and then, but absolutely cannot take a puff because I LOVE breath- and now, I'm aware of this quality so I'm mindful in all of my choices. I am a mermaid on this earth, wishing I literally lived IN the ocean (so I take loads of salt baths). I am put on this planet to teach and it is absolutely my passion. I am a lover that tries to give my husband all he needs, but don't always do the best job- but alas, he sticks with me and loves me in my entirety. I wish I loved myself as much as he loves me... I talk a lot. I listen a lot. I am completely unorganized and never plan ANYTHING. I have a gypsy soul who has trouble sitting still, but I recognize the value in stillness, so I practice it. I need help from others in order to live out my purpose. So, I have help! I CHOOSE to be awake. I spent SO much time in 2017 with the "stomach bug"- this happens when we are stubborn and won't release things in our lives that are no longer serving us... God finally says, "Enough is enough! If you aren't going to let go, I'm going to force you to wake up and literally make space. Purge, baby, purge!" I want to be accepted. I believe in the magic of this life. I will ALWAYS be curious and need to know WHY, though! I'm completely obsessed with Oprah and Beyoncé. 

So, to sum it up: Shed that skin, kweens (and Kings)! Give yourself PERMISSION to be raw, real, vulnerable, and make space for the life you DESERVE. I'll repeat that: Give yourself permission to make space for the life you deserve. The coming year is the year to make it happen. Less talking and no more complaining! Take action to LIVE YOUR TRUTH. 

'Tis the New Year! Embrace and welcome the REAL you!

I am so grateful for each of you, whether we are connected in the studio, socially, or online, I thank you and I adore you. The lessons we've learned together, the love we shared, and all of the deep belly laughs have given me life in this past year. Now, let's welcome the gifts of 2018 TOGETHER! Sending you all blessings for abundance, clarity, expansion, and connectivity in the coming year.

~Alee